Electric lighted illuminating sphere fixture



May 27, 1941. J. LEVY 2,243,712

ELECTRIC LIGHTED I-LLUMINATINCT SPHERE FIXTURE Filed Nov. 13, `1940 ATTO R N EY Patented May 27, 1941 VELECIEIC LIGHTE'D ILLUMINAT'ING vSPHERE FIXTURE Joseph Levy, Brooklyn, N. Y., assigner to Century Lighting, Inc., a corporation of New York Application Navember 13, 1940, serial No. 365,404

(o1. A24o- 78) 5 ,Claims.

for projecting light in various selective directions.

Among the objects of the invention is to generally improve lighting fixture constructions of the character described comprising few and simple parts that are readily assembled to form a compact attractive appearing structure, which shall be easily adjusted for projecting light beams or rays from a totally concealed light source in a wide range of selective directions, which shall be inexpensive to manufacture, and which shall be practical and eicient to a high degree in use.

Other objects of this invention will in part be obvious and in part hereinafter pointed out.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the constructions hereinafter described and of which the scope of application will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawing, in which is shown various possible illustrative embodiments ,of this invention:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view, shown partially in cross-section to expose the interior structure of an electrically lighted spherical-shaped illuminating fixture constructed to embody the invention;

Fig. 2 is a bottomview of the improved fixture shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary enlarged View of details of construction of a fixture part shown in Fig. l;

and

Fig. 4 is a front elevational View of the improved ixture showing the same adjusted for projecting light beams or rays in a selective angular 4direction with respect to the downwardly extending projection as shown in Fig. 1, a portion of the fixture casing being broken away to show the adjusted position of the lamp hanger relative to the fixture casing opening through which the light is projected.

Referring to the drawing, Il] denotes an electrically lighted illuminating fixture construction embodying the invention, which is particularly adapted to be used for show rooms, display windows, photographic lighting and for other similar purposes, permitting changes in a wide range of selective directions of the projected light without requiring the relocating of the fixture from a relatively xed installation, as for example, as hereinafter described.

half I8a. to complete the shell casing I8.

As shown in Fig. l, the fixture l0 is provided with a suitable lsupporting means lII which may be rigidly anchored to hang lfrom an outlet box I2 embedded in a ceiling C and covered by a canopy I4, all in the conventional Well understood manner. The supporting means II may terminate .outside ofthe canopy i4 in a threaded pipe nipple I5 `which carries thereon 'between an exterior upper nut I6 and `a -pair of interior lock nuts I1, a spherical or globular shell casing vvI8. There may 'be interposed a fiat friction acting spring Washer I9 within the casing I8 under lock nuts II to permit ready horizontal rotary adjustment of the casing I8 o n the support means I I. By adjusting the lock nuts I1 on nipple I5, the degree of frictional resistance to horizontal rotative movement of the casing lI8 may Vbe made to suit any desir-ed requirement. The casing I8 is preferably formed of a suitable sheet material, such as spun or molded metal, and may consist of a hemispherical half |30, which is directly attached for horizontal rotary movement as part of the shell casing I8 to support means yl I as described above. Another hemispherical half Ib, similar to said half I8a, except that it is provided with an opening 18e, Wherethrough projected light beams or rays pass from a lamp L mounted Within the casing I8, is swivelly fitted to said As shown in Figs. 1 and 4 the casing i8 is mounted on the support means II Yso that an axis passing through the latter (indicated by the dot and dash lines X-X) makes an oblique angle a with a plane (indicated by the dot and dash lines Y--Yl passing through the joint between hemispherical halves I Ba and Ib, said angle a for general purposes and vin the construction shown in the drawing being about 45.

The lamp L is mounted with its socket receptacle 2I on a right angular shaped swingable hanger 20 which in Fig. 1 is shown to have a horizontally extending arm 20a, on which said lamp receptacle 2| is firmly attached. Said arm 28a has its free end united by riveting or Welding or other suitable connecting means as at 20h, shown in Fig. 3, to a ring flange 22 which is permanently attached or may be made part `of the peripherial edge of the hernispherical half IBD, said ring flange 22 extending wholly 'within the casing I8 and forming a concealed lap for the butt joint J of the -peripherial edges of hemispherical parts I8a and I8b. A vertically extending arm 20c vof member 20, las shown in Fig. 1-, has its free end united by suitable connecting means as at 20d to ring flange 22 on the diametrically opposite portion thereof to connecting means 20h in the manner similar to that described above.

The member 2U may also be provided with a center or mid portion Ze between arms 20a and 20c shaped to cooperate with a bracket 23 secured to the interior surface of the hemispherical half I 8a within the casing I8 adapted to provide with an intermediate screw clamp interconnecting means 24, a swivel attachment for the hanger 20 with the receptacle 2I, lamp L and hemispherical part |817` with hemispherical part I8a. The axis about which said swivel attachment is effective is indicated by dot and dash lines Z-Z in Figs. 1 and 4, which makes an oblique angle with axis X-X passing through the supporting means II, said angle ,3 for generalY purposes also being about 45 as shown in the drawing. The screw interconnecting means 24 may comprise the bolt 24a; securely fastened to the bracket 23 by means of a lock nut 24h or other suitable anchorage, and wing nut 24e with a coil compression spring 24d interposed between the hanger midportion 20e and the wing nut 24e as shown in Fig. 1. y

The receptacle 2| in which the lamp L is `mounted may be connected to a suitable power source (not shown) through conductor wires 25 which pass through the pipe nipple I5 and in- :clude the slack portion 25a to permit relative movement of the receptacle 2I with the hanger 20 with respect to the supporting means I I as hereinafter described.

The lamp L preferably is of the reiiecting type, having reector sides R and a diffuser, color screen or lens end E, the casing opening I 8.a being semble the parts of fixture I0, hemispherical casing part I8a is iirst secured in place on supporting means II as shown in Fig. 1, withoutl the hemispherical casing part |85. Ihe conductor `wires 25 are next connected in circuit with the lamp receptaclev 2`I in the well known manner. Then the hemispherical casing part |812 is mounted in assembled position by swivelly attaching hanger mid-portion 20e to bracket 23 by means of the interconnecting means 24, asshown in Fig. 1. Lastly, the lamp L is mounted in place in receptacle 2I. When the electric power is applied to conductor wires 25, light beams or rays are projected from the lamp L concealed within the casing I8 through opening IBC.

To change the direction of the light rays projected from xture I0 through opening |80, the hemispherical casing part vI8b is simply rotated about the axis Z-Z with respect to casing part I8a to move the opening I8c in the direction the light rays are desired, as for example, moved from the position shown in Fig. 1 to that shown in Fig. 4. The movement of the casing part I8b carries with it; the hanger 20, receptacle 2l, and lamp L, and swings on the screw interconnection clamp 24. Frictional tension against movement and the retension of the assembly of the hemispherical parts I8a and I8b exerted by saidinterconnection 24, may be adjusted by screwing the horizontally rotating the casing I8 on its swivelling mounting on support I I as well as giving the hemspherical casing pari*I I8b swivelling movement with respect to hemispherical part I8a.

It will be noted that in all changes of directing the projecting rays, the lamp L always turns with the casing opening I8c so that the diiusing end E and reiiecting sides R of said lamp L are positioned for the initial maximum desired effectiveness. As seen from Fig. 1, a swivelling move-D ment of 360 is permitted the shell casing I8 with respect to supporting means Il, while a relative swivelling movement of 180 between hemispherical casing partgglfb with respect to part I8a is sufficient for practical purposes, an abutment stop 26 being provided to extend from the interior surface of the casing I8 to coact with the hanger arm 20c to limit the relative movement between said parts I8a and IBb.

It will thus be seen that -a lighting fixture construction is provided in which the several objects of the invention are achieved and which is well adapted to meet the conditions of practical use in an eicient manner.

As various embodiments might be made of the above invention and as various changes might be made in the embodiments above set forth, it is to be understood that all matters herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawing are to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

l. In a lighting fixture construction of the character described, an electric light source, a spherical shell casing for housing said light source comprising upper and lower substantially hemispherical parts, said lower part having an opening from which light beams from said source are projected, swivel means interconnecting with said upper part whereby the casing may be rotatably mounted from a relatively rigid support, means for supporting the light source carried by said lower part, interconnecting means Within the casing for attaching said lower part through the supporting means with the upper part to movably secure said parts in assembly whereby the lower part with the opening may be positioned with respect to the upper part to selectively direct the projected light beams from said opening in various angular directions, said light source'being retained in a relatively fixed position with respect to said opening when directing the light beams in all selective various directions, the plane of the periphery of said parts being located at an oblique angle with respect to the axis passing through said swivel means and rigid support.

2. In the lighting fixture construction defined in claim 1, in which said swivel means and interconnecting means each include frictional adjustment means for regulating the resistance of the movements of said casing part having the opemng with respect to the other casing part, and of said other part with respect to the swivel means.

3. In a lighting iixture construction of the character described, an electric light source, a spherical shell casing for housing said light source comprising two substantially hemispherical parts, one of said parts having an opening through which light rays from said source are projected, swivel means connecting with the other the other part to selectively direct the projected Y light rays from the opening in various angular directions, the plane of peripheries of said parts being located at an oblique angle with respect to an axis passing through said swivel means and rigid support, a portion of said interconnecting means movable with the part having said opening serving as a support for said light source whereby the latter is retained in a relatively xed position with respect to said opening when directing the light rays in all selective various directions, said hemispherical parts being assembled with a butt joint to provide a smooth exterior surface for the spherical shell casing, and a ring flange extending along the interior surface of one of said parts forming a concealed lap for the butt joint.

4. In a lighting fixture construction of the character described, an electric light source, a spherical shell casing for housing said light source comprising two substantially hemispherical parts, one of said parts having an opening through which light rays from said source are projected, swivel means connecting with the other of said parts whereby the casing may be rotatably mounted from a relatively rigid support, interconnecting means within the casing movably securing said parts in assembly whereby the part with said opening may be positioned with respect to the other part to selectively direct the projected light rays from the opening in various angular directions, the plane of peripheries of said parts being located at an oblique angle with respect to an axis passing through said swivel means and rigid support, a portion of said interconnecting means movable With the part having said opening serving as a support for said light source whereby the latter is retained in a relatively iixed position with respect to saidvopening when directing the light rays in all selective Various directions, said hemispherical parts being assembled With a butt joint to provide a smooth exterior surface for the spherical shell casing, a ring flange extending along the interior surface of the part with said opening forming a concealed lap for the butt joint, said portion of the interconnecting means forming a hanger rigidly secured to the ring flange.

5. In combination with an electric lamp having reflector sides and a light modifying end, of a lighting xture comprising a metallic two-part spherical shell casing for housing said lamp, one oi said parts being of hemispherical shape and formed with an opening through which light rays from said lamp end are projected, the other of said parts being of hemispherical shape and swivelly secured to a relatively rigid support, interconnecting means within the casing securing the parts in movable assembly whereby said part with the opening may be positioned with respect to the other part to selectively direct the rays from said lamp end through the opening in various angular directions, said interconnecting means including a hanger secured to move with the casing part having said opening and swivelly supported from the interior side of the other casing part, said hanger serving as a mounting means for retaining the position of the lamp end relatively xed with respect to said opening.

JOSEPH LEVY. 

